Warthog - Ecology

Ecology

The warthog is the only pig species that has adapted to grazing and savanna habitats. Its diet is omnivorous, composed of grasses, roots, berries and other fruits, bark, fungi, insects, eggs and carrion. The diet is seasonably variable, depending on availability of different food items. During the wet seasons warthogs graze on short perennial grasses. During the dry seasons they subsist on bulbs, rhizomes and nutritious roots. Warthogs are powerful diggers, using both snout and feet. Whilst feeding, they often bend the front feet backwards and move around on the wrists. Calloused pads that protect the wrists during such movement form quite early in the development of the fetus. Although they can dig their own burrows, they commonly occupy abandoned burrows of aardvarks or other animals. The warthog commonly reverses into burrows, with the head facing the opening and ready to burst out if necessary. Warthogs will wallow in mud to cope with high temperatures and huddle together to cope with low temperatures.

Although capable of fighting (males aggressively fight each other during mating season) the warthog's primary defense is to flee by means of fast sprinting. The warthog's main predators are humans, lions, leopards, crocodiles, and hyenas. Cheetahs are also capable of catching warthogs of up to their own weight and raptors such as Verreaux's Eagle Owls and Martial Eagles sometimes prey on piglets. However, if a female warthog has any piglets she will defend them very aggressively. Warthogs can inflict mortal wounds on predators, including formidable lions, with battles sometimes ending with the lions bleeding to death. Warthogs have been observed allowing banded mongooses to groom them to remove ticks.